Colombo: Pacer Akif Javed bowled before Sam Harper hit a half-century as Galle Gallants beat Colombo Cops by five wickets to record their second win of the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2026 at the Sinhala Sports Club ground on Saturday.
Opting to bat first, Colombo Cubs scored 189 for 8 in the allotted 20 overs thanks to brilliant half-centuries from captain Gusal Mendis and Ben McDermott.
Leading from the front, Mendis scored 79 off 53 balls with 2 fours and 7 sixes. McDermott provided valuable support with a 34-ball 57 including 6 fours and 2 sixes.
The rest of the batting line-up struggled to build a solid base.
Opener Rubin Herman conceded just one run while Sathira Samarawickrama scored 15 runs off 7 balls with 2 fours and a six. Kamindu Mendis scored 10 runs off five balls including a four and a six.
Janith Lienake scored 5 runs off 5 balls, James Neesham remained unbeaten on 12 runs off 8 balls with 2 fours, Malsha Darupathi got a run, and Vanuja Sahan was ducked out.
Akif Javed led the bowling for Gallants with impressive figures of 4/40 from his four overs. Eshan Malinga, Mohammad Nawaz and Dasun Shanaka took one wicket each.
Galle Gallants, in reply, set a target of 190 with 5 wickets and 4 balls to spare, reaching 190/5 in 19.2 overs.
Opener Sam Harper scored 65 off 45 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes. Sahan Arachike scored an unbeaten 38 off 16 balls with 7 boundaries.
Sarith Asalanga also scored 28 runs off 21 balls including 2 sixes.
Hasan Mahmood and Vanuja Sahan took 2 wickets each and James Neesham took one wicket for Colombo.